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Eastbound & Down

Danny McBride is Kenny Fucking Powers, a washed up major league pitcher. He had it all and lost it all. He is brash, arrogant, and hilarious. He has a lot of talent but no work ethic, and blames everyone else but himself for his problems. He’s the jock who never grew up.

The first season is about Kenny moving into his brother’s house and working as a gym teacher. He’s hit rock bottom and knows it. He tries to adjust and rekindle a relationship with an ex-girlfriend who is also working at the school. But April is also engaged to the principal. You gotta have a love triangle or there’s no drama, right? Kenny’s old acquaintance/new assistant Stevie helps Kenny on his mission to get back to the majors.

Season 2 finds Kenny in Mexico. He is even more lost and pathetic than he was in the first season. He is trying to forget about his old life, but he can’t forget about April and the lure of pitching in the big leagues. Stevie shows up to help him get back on track, again. In Season 3 Kenny is Myrtle Beach and pitching for a minor league team. April runs off and leaves Kenny with their baby, and hijinks ensue.

Kenny is rude and selfish, but you still want him to succeed. He wasted his talent, but at least he tries to redeem himself. He’s a selfish dick and embraces it, which makes him likeable somehow. HBO lets him get away with everything, so there tons of swearing and nudity. Will Ferrell, Craig Robinson, Gary Cole, and a bunch of other actors make appearances. If you like Judd Apatow movies, you will love this show. It’s hysterically funny, with a little heartfelt drama from time to time, and great characters with great jokes. Danny McBride is awesome.

Critically Rated at 15/17

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Seinfeld

Seinfeld is the best show of the ‘90s without a doubt. It was a show about nothing, and by doing that, it was about anything. There are so many great moments, characters, lines and episodes. If you don’t like Seinfeld, I don’t like you.

Each character was great. You know you have a solid show when your standup comedian star is the least funny character and is essentially the everyman that the viewer relates to. Jerry Seinfeld stars as himself, a standup comic living in New York City. He hangs out with his best friends George and Elaine and his crazy neighbor Kramer. Seinfeld used to bookend each episode with material from his comedy routines, but that happened less and less as the show progressed. He is a ladies man and always seems to have a smoking hot girlfriend. He is almost the straight man, but is a little too sarcastic.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus plays Elaine Benes, Jerry’s friend and an ex-girlfriend. She is feisty, aggressive and shoves Jerry a lot. She dances like a kicking fool. Michael Richards plays Kramer, the crazy next-door neighbor who always makes a zany entrance. He is a constant mooch, he doesn’t have a steady job, but he seems to be doing alright because he’s Jerry’s neighbor, and Jerry isn’t poor. Jason Alexander plays George Costanza, Jerry’s best friend and a loser. He’s short, bald and neurotic, and one of the best sitcom characters of all time.

Some episodes feel a little dated now, but the majority of them are still relevant, and all of them are funny. This was the water cooler show of the ‘90s, it WAS pop culture. Who can forget the Soup Nazi, man hands, being the “master of your domain”, Junior Mints, the Summer of George, yada yada yada, shrinkage, Bubble Boy, Steinbrenner, Festivus, “these pretzels are making me thirsty”, and J, Peterman? The series finale was not a terrible way to end the show. They brought back dozens of fun characters, and they pointed out how mean-spirited Jerry and his friends were.

Thanks to DVD releases and syndication you can watch all 9 seasons of Seinfeld and be happy. Network television has had a void ever since Jerry decided to walk away. HBO has Curb Your Enthusiasm, and it is very funny and very similar, but there was something comforting about Jerry and the Gang that Larry David is lacking. Some of Curb’s best episodes involve Seinfeld cast members, and the Seinfeld Reunion story arc is amazing and makes you remember what you’re missing. The best TV show of the ‘90s, and the best network sitcom ever.

Critically Rated at 16/17

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